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South Australia does not have a lot of big tourist attractions, and many backpackers do not travel to the state. This offers a unique opportunity to mix and talk with locals and to experience South Australia on your own, without having hundreds of others travellers around you.

Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy is a very small town, about half the way between Alice Springs and Adelaide, about 690 kilometres south of Alice Springs and about 845 kilometres north from Adelaide. It is well known for its opals exporting to the whole world, but better known as the town, with most of its residents living under the ground.

Coober Pedy is literally a hole in the ground. When you arrive at the town, you have no doubt. The inhabitants have made the old mines their residencies to escape both the daytime heat and the extreme cold nights, as the ground keep a stabile temperature. You can recognise the town with its stone piles and markers all over the ground like the moon landscape.

If you are into golfing, you should try it in Coober Pedy. Because of the heat during daytime golf is played at night with glowing balls. As there is no grass, the golfers have to take a small piece of “turf” with them to be able to hit the ball. Coober Pedy is the only place in the world you can experience that kind of golfing.

Flinders Ranges 

500 kilometres south from Coober Pedy you will find the Flinders Ranges. Flinders Ranges is a large mountain range, which stretches over 430 kilometres. There are several areas protected as National Parks, which gives you a perfect feeling about the nature here.

Flinders Ranges is another great experience of Australia’s big red interior. If you have seen the Uluru also called Ayers Rock red centre, then Flinders Ranges has the similar distinctive red colour, but in a completely new atmosphere.  For those who have not yet seen Ayers Rock or will see it later on their journey, it is an adventure well worth a trip.

Flinders Rock National Park is one of many protected areas, close to Wilpena Pound. Wilpena Pound is a great place for bushwalking and exploring wildlife. There are lookouts, there give you a perfect view over the surrounding mountains. If you’d prefer the view from the sky, you can also arrange a flight tour from here.

It is easy to find accommodations in the Flinders Ranges, no matter if you are travelling by bus, car or campervan.

If you want to experience the real outback, it is recommended either rent a 4WD, as it can get pretty tough, or in one of the tourist guided tours. If you decide to drive yourself the locals are generally nice to help and give their recommendations and directions if you get lost. A thing you need to be aware of if you do go outback bring a lot of water, and be aware of the seasonality. There are periods where it rains a lot and the rivers can overflow, so it would be a good idea not to camp too close to the rivers and creek beds, particularly during wet season.

Eyre Peninsula

If you want to enjoy and explore the seaside without getting disturbed by a lot of other travellers, the Eyra Peninsula is the perfect place to be. With more than 2000 kilometres of coastline going all the way to Nullarbor, the area gives you a feeling of remoteness.

Eyre Peninsula is known for its beautiful coastline, where you can fish, sail and dive with all kinds of wildlife you do not see any other places. You can hike between dunes or the waters’ edge, or just sit and enjoy the silence, while you have a perfect view of the spectacular coastline.

There are many small towns all the way along the coast, all of which have their special charm.

Baird Bay

If you love water based activities and want to have and unforgettable experience, Baird Bay is a must to visit, when you are on the Eyre Peninsula. One of the more special activities you can do, is see and swim with sea lions and dolphins on organised tours. If you prefer to stay try catch your own dinner, the fishing is great here. There are plenty of activities you can choose from, it is only a visit away.

The town is small with few houses and limited facilities and with the nearest town Streak Bay 50 kilometres away it is a good idea, to check supplies and stock up before you depart Baird Bay.

Ceduna

Ceduna is a small and peaceful town on the South Coast, around 786 kilometres northwest from Adelaide and the last major town before crossing into Western Australia. It is the perfect place to be, if you want to relax and at the same time enjoy the nature. The towns name comes from the local Aboriginal word Chedoona, which means “a place to sit down and relax”.

No matter if you dive, swim, surf or sail around the beautiful beaches or drive around and enjoying the beautiful environment, there is near the beach area, It is hard not relax and enjoy nature at the same time. Whether you on a holiday to relax or have been travelling for a while and need a break from the rush, Ceduna are a one of top destination for relaxing in a beautiful environment.

If you are interested in Aboriginal culture, or perhaps the unique Aboriginal arts and craft, then Ceduna Aboriginal Arts Culture Centre is the place to visit.

Nullarbor Plain

Nullarbor Plain is the name given to the flat area before you enter Western Australia, if you are following the Great Australian Bight coast. The name Nullarbor means “no trees” and the area is flat, almost without any trees. The Nullarbor Plain is the world’s largest single piece of limestone.

Although there are a lot of different caves in the area, the Murrawijinie cave is one of few open for public access. For most of the caves you have to be either in the company of an accredited caving group or of National Parks and Wildlife officers.

Adelaide

Adelaide is the fifth largest city in Australia and the capital in South Australia. Like most other big cities, there are a million things to do and see, with festivals, food, arts, culture, shopping and sports events, often at cheaper prices, than you find in other big cities and capitals in Australia.

Adelaide is mostly known for festivals, sports and its tasteful wine, with Barossa Valley and Clare Valley as best known. It is the first part of the year that Adelaide is most busy with festivals, with March and April as the biggest months.

Because Adelaide was the first completely planned city in Australia, it has a layout quite different to the other big Australian cities, which also probably why the infrastructure is so easy to use and get around. The centre of Adelaide is so compact it is easy to travel just by walking, but otherwise the buses, trains and the tramline are easy to use and there is a free bus from Victoria Square, just to give you a quick idea about inner Adelaide.

If you are interested in the Australian history, then you should walk around and enjoy the historic buildings, many telling a story about, when the English settlers first arrived. In the north part of Adelaide you will find the South Australian Museum, which has an amazing collection of aboriginal artefacts and Australia’s natural history, you can easily spend a couple of hours here. Just next to the South Australian Museum is the Art Gallery of South Australia, which contains a large collection of paintings by noted Australian artists from the 1800’s to modern times. Both the South Australian Museum and the Art Gallery of South Australia have free entrance.

Besides the museums and beautiful buildings with churches and hilly wineries as the background, Adelaide has many cafés and restaurants, where you can taste food influenced from the entire world.

When the weather is too hot, most people take the tramline down to the beach.

Only 20 minutes drive from Adelaide city is Adelaide Hills. Giving you a beautiful vantage flat out across the water over Adelaide. There is an incredible view from here and it gives you an understanding of, why so many painters have found inspiration up here. There are plenty of walking and cycling trails, great attractions and heaps of restaurants to enjoy the view, while you eating.

There are plenty of opportunities to find accommodation, so you can relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

Barossa Valley
Barossa is the capital of Australia’s most famous wine growing area and its wine is known all over the world. Barossa is only 60 kilometres northeast from Adelaide. Because of the long and constant heat at the last stage before harvest, the grapes a high sugar content, which gives the wine they produce a high alcohol, a lot of flavour and good fill.

You can be lucky and meet the people behind some of the best wines and food in Australia, while you are sitting in a relaxing atmosphere in some of Barossa’s many restaurants, wineries and cellar doors, or even on a golf course. At many of the wineries in the Barossa Valley, you can taste the wines free of charge.

Barossa Valley is the place to visit for a couple of days if you are into the wine atmosphere and want to sample more than a couple of wines, you can always combine it with some golfing. You can enjoy a view over the vineyards from the Mengler Hill lookout position.

Every year Barossa Valley holds a big festival particular for lovers of wine. It is held every year and it is to celebrate the Barossa wine industry. This festival is called the Barossa Valley Vintage Festival and people come from all over the world to join this festival. The festival runs for a week, with a parade, concerts and gourmet dining. If you are in the area around in the end of April, it is worth a visit.

Clare Valley
Clare Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in Australia and is best known for its Riesling vines, but the area also produces many other varieties of grape, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Clare Valley is about 120 kilometres north from Adelaide.

If you like to stroll around the vineyards, then the Riesling Trail is a good walk through Clare and Auburn Valley.  There are also historical and scenic buildings, there tell their own story like the old courthouse and the police station, both are now museums.

Like many other wine regions, the Clare Valley also has festivals throughout the year, the first one start mid of April and end in the end of April. In May there is the Clare Valley Gormet weekend, and also the Spring Garden festival in November.

There are plenty of places to stay in Clare Valley whiteout booking in advance, if you do not think you had enough, it is easy stay for a couple of extra days to explore, and get deeper look into the area.

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is an amazing little island, which are a bit different compared to the rest of South Australia, with gorgeous beaches, majestic forests and National Parks, where you can find different kinds of animals.  Kangaroo Island is relatively small, being about 50 kilometres wide and 140 kilometres long. However, even though the island seems small, you can easily and should spend at least 2 days or more there. You do not want to rush exploring the island. The ferry is only 112 kilometres from Adelaide.

As the name suggests, you can see kangaroos here, but also a lot of other animals like koalas sitting in eucalyptus and gum trees around the river system.  The koalas are most active during the night and to see koalas the best places to find them on Kangaroo Island are at Hanson Bay and the Western KI Caravan Park.

Some of the other amazing animals on Kangaroo Island are the Australian sea lion. Often lying on the beach at Seal Bay, they spend half their time in the water and the other half on land. Another incredible animals are the New Zealand fur seals, which you can encounter around Cape du Couedic.

If you are near Kingscote at the end of the day you can see a local pelican feeding display, a great way to get close to the wildlife and a fun show to watch, if you are in the area.

Flinders Chase National Park is a must to see, if you are visiting Kangaroo Island. It is an amazing wildlife experience amid spectacular landscapes. Go bushwalking along the trails and see the wildlife, or down to the stunning beaches to see New Zealand fur seals play along the West Bay.

There are a lot of guided tourist trips on Kangaroo Island, where you can learn about the incredible nature and animals and get the facts and history behind the Island. You can also drive yourself and explore the nature in your own way. No matter what you choose you will get an incredible experience.

If you choose to drive yourself, be aware of the wildlife, especially during the dawn, dusk and night times. You can easily hit a kangaroo or other animal if you are not careful.

There are some really good surfing breaks around Kangaroo Island, no matter if you are a beginner or advanced surfer, but some of the places you need to have a 4WD car to get access to the beach. Most importantly you need to respect both the environment and the locals!

Below are the beaches you should try, if you are an advanced surfer or beginner, depending on the seasonality.

Advanced surfers
Hanson Bay - the best wind to look for is a North-east to Northerly wind
D’Estrees Bay – the best wind to look for is a North-west to Westerly wind. (You need a 4WD vehicle to access this area)

Beginner surfing
Vivonne Bay  - the best wind is a North-east to Westerly wind. The closer to the western end of the beach you are the smaller the waves.
Pennington Bay – the best wind to look for is a North-easterly wind.
Stokes Bay – the best wind to look for is a Southerly wind.

Accommodation

You can easily find a place to stay but it is a good idea to book in advance, especially during the school and public holidays. Otherwise if you stay on the main roads you should be ok, even if the first place you try is fully booked.

Climate

Warm and temperate, long hot summers, short mild winter and low rainfall Adelaide and South Australia is great place to visit and you are almost guaranteed great weather.

Adelaideclimate (Degrees)

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